Three Fort Carson soldiers killed in Afghanistan attack

Three Fort Carson soldiers were among four killed in a Tuesday attack in Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

They died in an rocket attack, at Bagram Airfield, north of the Afghan capital of Kabul. Killed were: Spc. Ember M. Alt, 21, of Beech Island, S.C.; Spc. Robert W. Ellis, 21, of Kennewick, Wash.; and Spc. William R. Moody, 30, of Burleson, Texas, all from Fort Carson's 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion of the 43rd Sustainment Brigade. Also killed was Sgt. Justin R. Johnson, 25, of Hobe Sound, Fla, assigned to Fort Eustis, Va.

The Tri-City (Wash.) Herald reports that Ellis and other soldiers were standing at a bus stop when they were hit.

"The Fort Carson community is deeply saddened by the deaths of Spc. William R. Moody, Spc. Ember M. Alt and Spc. Robert W. Ellis, and our heartfelt condolences go out to their families, friends and fellow soldiers," Fort Carson said in a statement released Thursday.

Alt, a mechanic joined the Army in 2011 and was on her first deployment to Afghanistan. She had earned the Army Achievement Medal.

The 2009 graduate of Killeen High School in Killeen, Texas, Alt was a standout track runner, the Killeen Daily Herald reported.

"Alt ran the first leg of the Lady Roos' 1,600-meter relay team that finished seventh at the UIL State Track meet in 2009," the newspaper reported.

Ellis, a truck driver, joined the Army in August, 2011, and deployed to Afghanistan in November. He'd earned the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

""He was filled with hope," said the Rev. Bill Dupignac of Grace Baptist Church in Kennewick, Wash.

Dupignac said he watched Ellis embrace his Christian faith before he joined the Army.

"He had a lot of confidence in God and pride in America," Dupignac said.

Moody, a truck driver, was on his third deployment to Afghanistan. The nine-year Army veteran had earned honors including the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal. He'd been overseas since Nov. 26.

A Facebook profile photo shows a smiling Moody hugging his wife. He was graduate of Burleson High School.

Fort Carson has lost 87 soldiers in Afghanistan, including four killed in the past month. In fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past 10 years, the post has lost 347 troops.

Fighting in Afghanistan has been especially vicious in recent weeks as American troops hand over security duties to the Afghan government while seeking a peace deal with Taliban insurgents.

The time from June to September is called "fighting season" in Afghanistan, because insurgents use favorable weather and weapons stored over the winter to launch an annual offensive.

Fort Carson will have a growing commitment in Afghanistan in the coming months, with thousands of troops headed there.

The posts's 4th Infantry Division headquarters is expected to leave for southern Afghanistan this summer. This winter, the post's 3,500-soldier 4th Brigade Combat Team is expected to leave for Afghanistan duty.